MicrostockGroup
Agency Based Discussion => Dreamstime.com => Topic started by: nalinn on February 04, 2013, 00:15
-
Hi guys,
I am new to here.. but not new to stock photography ;) I am an illustrator working exclusively with DT for more than 4 yrs now. I have 2000+ High quality illustrations with 25000+ sales there. currently i am earning 1000$+per month from there But now I am thinking about selling my illustrations via other sites too.. What u guys thinking about that decision ?? will i be able to survive after doing that? I am in doubt.
Please share your experience with me..
-
If you sold 25k files on DT with an port of 2k... most likely... Yes. You can put a link to your portfolio ?
-
Without seeing your portfolio, it's a bit of a guess, but I would say that you should easily be able to beat that income by uploading elsewhere. Look at the income numbers on the right and see where DT ranks in the top 4 - they just can't break out of that "bottom of the top tier" slot that they've held since I first started with them (in 2004).
You don't say if you do vectors or raster illustrations, but every agency except iStock will be fine with raster illustrations; iStock makes it hard to get raster illustrations accepted and refuses JPEGs of vector-created art. They are OK with scans or photos of paintings, watercolors and other "real world" media.
-
Can't see how you can fail on those numbers - check this out:
http://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/former-exclusives-interested-in-joining-shutterstock/msg292072/ (http://www.microstockgroup.com/shutterstock-com/former-exclusives-interested-in-joining-shutterstock/msg292072/)
Aimed at IS but could get you pre-approved and no upload limits on FT or SS
-
DT usually generate about 10% of my microstock income. As an exclusive you'll be getting a boost in the sort-order as well has higher royalties but even if those combined to treble your earnings at DT (compared to non-exclusive status), which I doubt, you'll still make far more as an independent contributor.
Get your port on SS as quick as you can. It's a good time of the year to upload new images as sales accelerate through March. I earn about 4-5x more at SS than I do at DT and the gap is widening month-on-month.
You may not want to bother with IS nowadays. You'll be starting at an insulting 15% with very low upload limits making it difficult to grow. That and your port will be forced into the PP and you now have the additional danger of having your work given away on Google Drive. Oh ... and then there's the chronic upload system and CV nonsense to deal with too.
Good luck with it and let us know how you get on. I'd be interested to learn how much your income drops at DT without the exclusive boost.